What’s Playing has a list of contenders for the Lois Lane part in Zack Snyder’s new Superman reboot, following the casting of Henry Cavill as the Man of Steel. Cavill’s casting was the subject of much speculation, with names like Jon Hamm and Joe Manganiello bandied about — and it looks like the female lead’s casting will be just as hotly debated.

Names under consideration reportedly include Kristen Stewart, Dianna Agron (of Glee), Jessica Biel, and Rachel McAdams. The last Superman reboot, released as Superman Returns in 2006, starred Brandon Routh and Kate Bosworth in roles cast with far less transparency, or hype, than the current process.

Whoever is leaking these names (if they’re legitimate) is simply taking part in the new, super-long buzz cycle. A film like Superman Returns, which predates our 2010s cycle, was tossed around from actor to actor quietly over many years, without a public search. The casting process was as arduous, but nowhere near as public. By contrast, in the past few months, practically every young actress in Hollywood has loudly cleared her throat (Blake Lively the most persistently, it seems) to indicate interest in the role of Catwoman or Lisbeth Salander or Daisy Buchanan or Lois Lane. These casting searches, surely riddled with bloggy misinformation (did Emma Watson really want to be the girl with the dragon tattoo?), were intriguing to watch and comment upon. Will there ever again be a tentpole movie that casts a star without the casting process being broadcast? And given the fantastic tooth-and-nail fight that’s about to ensue for the meager prize of a supporting role in a tired franchise, would we even want that?